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Press Statement Regarding Silent Vigil at Home of Ray Butler TD (FG)

Press Statement

Re: Silent Vigil at Home of Ray Butler

National Land League

24/02/15

The following statement is issued by the National Land League of Ireland on behalf of our Co. Meath Branch and is our response to media criticism of a recent silent, peaceful vigil at the Home of Ray Butler Fine Gael TD, a position obtained through electoral deception. It is noteworthy that none of the media outlets carrying the story have consulted us with regards to our position.

Our position is as follows. At a meeting of the Co Meath branch of the National Land League of Ireland it was decided to organise a small, silent and peaceful vigil at the home of Ray Butler TD. Members agreed to this action in the context that Mr. Butler voted for and continues to stand over the looming repossession of over 100,000 homes in our Republic. There are 50,000 homes in the courts as we speak and another 50,000 plus that are considered irretrievable in terms of arrears. This is a crisis of biblical proportion with 100,000s facing eviction and homelessness.

Not only has Mr. Butler been central to this crisis, but is alongside his cohorts denying that the crisis is happening at all. Our Meath members decided to, in the ancient Irish tradition, gather silently at Mr Butler’s home, a reminder of the many, many men, women and children due to lose their homes because of his and his cohorts decisions and lies. The gathering was completely peaceful and short, after which our members attended Mr Butler’s office where he was holding a “meeting” although our member’s reports state that there was a very noticeable smell of alcohol from the men who came out from the office and began to verbally abuse our female members. One female member was hospitalised last night as a result of being hit with Mr Butler’s car as he attempted to speed off. It is reported Mr Butler sped past Gardaí and that Gardaí refused to stop him or breathalyses him even though he had just hit a woman with his car.

This morning Mr Butler was on a number of morning radio stations and programmes bleating about what a terrible night he had, and some of it was sleepless. This is nothing compared to the years of sleeplessness experienced by 100,000s of people in mortgage arrears and whom Mr Butler’s voting decisions in the Dail have committed to homelessness.

Mr Butler suggested in his descriptions of the evening that a bunch of thugs had descended upon his home and office and yet nothing could be further from the truth, Gardaí reports of the events will make this clear. Mr Butler in one media interview stated that he had no idea why the peaceful assembly was taking place, and in another interview distanced himself from the reason with little furtherance of that point by interviewers. Our member’s reason was clearly stated on placards, mass-evictions, clear and simple.

Let us be clear, there was no violence perpetrated by our members at the home or office of Mr Butler, there was no threat or intimidation. Rather, people facing homelessness as a result of the actions of Mr Butler silently stood outside his home for less than half an hour and then went to his office where they were verbally abused and one member hit with a car reportedly driven by Mr Butler, after which Mr Butler reportedly drove off.

What Mr Butler, his cronies and adult members of his family are really concerned about is that we reveal to his community the truth about his continuing support of mass evictions over the coming two years. Mr Butler, his cronies and adult family members are very concerned that the public will see the justification in silently and respectfully (to neighbors and underage family) holding short vigils outside his home to highlight the homelessness he is causing as well as his part in the stealing of our nation through electoral deception.

On a final note and for absorption by all elected members of the Oireachtas, the National Land League of Ireland and its county branches will not fold irrespective of how our actions are misrepresented by the likes of Ray Butler. We do our duty to our people and our nation. By hook or by crook we will defeat your attempts to evict 100,000s of men, women and children. We will do it peacefully but we will not allow you your comfort zones.

Dr. Finbar Markey – General Secretary of the National Land League of Ireland